Lighter

ABSTRACT

A lighter that is wind resistant, safe, and convenient. It is flameless, small, slim, and lightweight. It does not require lighter fluid or gas and can be recharged using a USB cable. Heat sufficient to cause burning is generated via a coil after air is blown into the unit.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application 62/611,290 filed on Dec. 28, 2017, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to lighter devices, and more particularly to a rechargeable flameless portable lighter and method thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide a safe, effective, and environmentally friendly means of creating a heat source without the use of a flame.

It is a primary object of the invention to create safe and convenient, wind resistant flameless lighter.

It is another object of the invention to provide a small and light weight, slim and sleek design for a flameless lighter.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a flameless lighter that is rechargeable, preferably using a USB charging cable.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a flameless lighter that instantly ignites from blowing thereon.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a flameless lighter that does not require lighter fluid or gas.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front top perspective view of a lighter showing a first embodiment of the new design;

FIG. 2 is a rear bottom perspective view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a right side elevation view thereof, the left side elevation view being a mirror image thereof;

FIG. 4 is a top view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view thereof;

FIG. 6 is an exploded top view taken along line 6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an exploded bottom view taken along line 7 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a front top perspective view of a lighter showing a second embodiment of the new design;

FIG. 9 is a rear bottom perspective view thereof;

FIG. 10 is a right side elevation view thereof, the left side elevation view being a mirror image thereof;

FIG. 11 is a top view thereof;

FIG. 12 is a bottom view thereof;

FIG. 13 is an exploded top view taken along line 13 of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 14 is an exploded bottom view taken along line 14 of FIG. 9.

The broken lines shown in the drawings depict portions of the lighter that form no part of the claimed design.

References to “side”, “front”, “rear”, “top” and “bottom” in the figure descriptions are not meant to require certain in-use orientation, a lighter according to the claimed design may be used in any orientation and configuration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a lighter device that when a predetermined amount of air is blown into a top end, a coiled portion therein is heated sufficiently enough to produce burning when in close proximity to a material (e.g. a cigarette).

The lighter device includes a casing have top end having an exposed coiled portion. The coiled portion, when blown on, causes a reaction within the casing of the lighter device. The reaction heats the exposed coiled portion up to a temperature that is approximately between 97 and 118 degrees (repetitive actions->reactions in short period of time increases temperatures rapidly). This causes the exposed coiled portion to become hot enough to glow, smolder, burn, fume, simmer, smeulen without the use of a flame. In use, a cigarette, small cigar, joint, brush (can be used as lifesaving product where heat is needed) can be heated to a temperature hot enough to begin the chemical reaction of burning.

The illustrative embodiment of the present invention provides a device capable of being divided into sections, which and when connected in specific order, allows the lighter device to produce a desired behavior. The device includes a battery, preferably rechargeable, connected to a computer chip board, which is connected to an aluminum flat wire that is wrapped in a continuous circular fashion towards center. Once the battery is charged to a % approximately higher than 10%, an individual can blow air on the aluminum coiled portion. Preferably, the coiled portion is made of aluminum or other like material capable of providing the same chemical reaction.

Once the user blows sufficient air onto the coiled portion, this triggers the computer chip to actuate the battery to begin the chemical reaction process of creating heat. This process occurs relatively fast via a Lithium-ion battery. Once the battery is actuated a specific, predictable thermal behavioral begins. Batteries generate heat during charge and discharge due to enthalpy changes, electrochemical polarization and resistive heating inside the cell. In the illustrative embodiment, energy created by the ‘heat’ of the battery during discharge and through 0.3 mm metal lines is transfer to the coiled portion within the top end of the casing. When the battery is discharged enough times or consistently over a few seconds, the amount of discharged heat that travels up the 0.3 mm metal lines and creates enough energy/heat to redden the coil, which is capable of being able to burn another source. The lithium ion battery is the optimum battery for use in the lighter device because of its chemical structure, however, other batteries are contemplated and Included herein. The chemical reaction that occurs from the heat during discharge can understood best from this formula: FePO₄+xLi++xe-xLiFePO4+(1−x) FePO₄. During the Lithium-ion battery discharge, Lithium ions (Li+) are released from the anode, traveling via electrolytes toward the cathode. When the Lithium ions (Li+) reach the cathode, they are quickly incorporated into the cathode material to create heat.

The heat is produced in the lithium-ion batteries via two sources, the electrochemical operation and Joule heating. The volume of heat that is created is measured via the formula: q=I(U−V)−I(T du/dt). This formula is used to determine the most optimum us to battery for the present invention.

To protect the Lithium Ion battery from losing its capacity/power fade natural occurrences over time, the present lighter device is insulated with a shell that allows the excess heat created within to permeate out of the battery thus leaving the continuity of the batteries chemicals in tacked for extended number of uses. One skilled in the art will recognize, after reading this Specification, that the present invention can utilize a plurality of different shell materials.

The battery is a Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery connected to a USB-micro charge port. Specifically, the lighter device includes a bottom end having the port. One skilled in the art will recognize, after reading this Specification, that the present invention can also be connected to a USB-C, or other like port. Preferably, the USB-micro charge port has an approximate minimum voltage of 3.0 and an approximate maximum voltage of 4.0. Preferably, the battery may require an approximate minimum wattage of 0.55 and an approximate maximum wattage of 1. Preferably, the battery has between approximately 100 mAh and 250 mAh. The variables of the battery is based on the duration of time that the lighter device needs to be recharged and how the value (heat to correct temperature) that the device would be able to perform between charges (i.e. 25 times to 50 times). It will be clear to one skilled in the art, after reading this Specification, that various batteries and parameters may be contemplated in order to obtain the desired outcome.

The present invention includes a computer chip board having a variety of connectible parts to create the desired effect. One skilled in the art, after reading this Specification, will understand that the same or similar effects can be achieved by connecting various other connectable and interchangeable parts. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that in some embodiments, other connectible parts, communication protocols, or system architecture may be suitably used. It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that in some embodiments, the same effects are created using other applications, in other shapes, based on different layouts created between the battery, chip and metal.

The present device may also include a rubber cap for securing over the top end of the lighter device when not in use, thereby protecting the coiled portion.

It is to be understood that the disclosure teaches just one example of the illustrative embodiment and that many variations of the invention can easily be devised by those skilled in the art after reading this disclosure. 

We claim:
 1. A new lighter comprising: a. a coil of aluminum wire connected to a computer chip board and a battery; b. Said computer chip board also being connected to said battery, wherein said battery is capable of producing heat during discharge; c. Wherein said computer ship board is capable of actuating said battery to discharge when triggered by sufficient air being blown onto said aluminum wire coil; d. Wherein said heat generated by said battery during said discharged will be conducted along said aluminum wire coil; e. Wherein repeated actions of blowing air onto the coil in a short period of time causes repeated discharges of said battery and resultant heating of said aluminum wire coil to higher temperatures. f. Said aluminum wire coil, said computer chip board and said battery all located inside an insulated chamber capable of preventing unintentional actuation of the discharge of said battery wherein said shell has an opening to permit blowing air onto said aluminum coil and also to permit utilization of the heat generated at said aluminum coil.
 2. The lighter of claim 1 wherein the battery is a lithium ion battery.
 3. The lighter of claim 1 wherein the battery is rechargeable and further comprising a charging mechanism connected to said battery.
 4. The lighter of claim 3 wherein the charging mechanism utilizes a micro USB charging port.
 5. The lighter of claim 1 further comprising a removable cover for securing over the opening. 